Friday, December 11
Bemidji, Minn.
8:37 PM
Bowling Green State University
7-2-410-3-5; WCHA
4
at
1
Bemidji State
4-7-25-8-3; WCHA
1
2
3
F
Bowling Green
2
0
2
4
Bemidji State
0
1
0
1
Photo by: Brad Phalin, BGSU Marketing and Communications
No. 14 BGSU Jumps Ahead Early, Beats Bemidji State 4-1
December 11, 2015 | Ice Hockey
Box score
Bemidji, Minn. – The Bowling Green State University hockey team won in the Sanford Center for the first time in program history, defeating Bemidji State 4-1 to extend its unbeaten streak to eight games Friday night.
The Falcons flipped the script Friday night, scoring early on a Mitch McLain goal just 3:51 into the contest. BGSU had allowed the first goal in each of the last three games although the Falcons had rebounded for a 1-0-2 record in those contests.
"We've stressed our starts," BGSU Head Coach Chris Bergeron said. "Tonight, we probably got a couple of lucky bounces early but we took advantage of them."
McLain, who hails from Baxter, Minn., was able to score in his home state by picking up a puck the deflected off the side boards, splitting two defenders and beating Bemidji State goalie Michael Bitzer stick-side for his third goal of the season. Mark Friedman earned the primary assist, the first of his two points on the night, and freshman Connor McDonald also got an assist, his fourth consecutive game with a helper. (CLICK HERE for the goal call)
Bowling Green added to that lead as sophomore Brandon Hawkins was able to hammer one home late after freshman Stephen Baylis kept a bouncing puck in the offensive zone. For Baylis, that would be the first of his two-point night, the first time in his short collegiate career that he has posted multiple points in a game. Hawkins' goal came with just 39 seconds left in the first period. (CLICK HERE for the goal call)
The second period saw just nine shots between the two teams but Bemidji State was able to cut the deficit in half with a goal just 1:39 into the frame after a turnover in the BGSU defensive zone.
The score, however, remained that way until the latter stages of the third. With less than six minutes to play in regulation, Mark Cooper skated up the left side and Bitzer stopped his initial shot but the rebound fell onto the stick of a charging Baylis. He buried the shot for his first collegiate goal to give the Falcons a 3-1 lead. (CLICK HERE for the goal call)
"With Stephen, we've been thinking that it would be a matter of when, not if," Bergeron said. "We are seeing the attributes he brings when he's playing well. He's been making good decisions with the puck."
Bemidji State tried to rally late as the Falcons took two penalties that gave the Beavers a 5-on-3 advantage for 47 seconds. BGSU killed off the 5-on-3 before Bemidji State pulled its goalie. The Beavers tried to center the puck at the point but a pass missed its mark and found its way all the way down the ice and into Bemidji State's goal. Mark Friedman was credited for the first short-handed goal of his career, providing the Falcons with their third short-handed goal in the last four contests.
On the Friedman score, goalie Chris Nell earned the only assist, his first career point. He picked up the first assist for a goalie at BGSU since Tommy Burke recorded a helper in last year's 5-2 loss to Michigan Tech in the WCHA Final Five.
Nell improved to 7-3-5 between the pipes as he made 14 saves, allowing just the one goal. Neither team generated a lot of scoring opportunities but the Falcons held a 19-15 edge in shots on goal. Both teams came up empty on the power play with the Beavers going 0-for-5 and Bowling Green going 0-for-2. The Falcons held Bemidji State to just two shots on goal in the five power play chances.
McLain and Matt Pohlkamp both posted a team-best five shots, while Friedman had three blocks. Prior to this contest, Bowling Green's last seven games had been determined by one goal or fewer.
With the loss, Bemidji State falls to 5-8-3 overall and 4-7-2 in WCHA play. Bowling Green improves to 10-3-5 overall and 7-2-4 in the WCHA, taking over sole possession of second place in the league standings. The two teams will conclude the weekend series Saturday at 8:07 pm ET.
Postgame Notes
* WIth an assist, Mark Cooper recorded his team-best 70th career point (37 goals, 33 assists)
* Brett D'Andrea's assist gives him four points in 2015-16, the same point total he scored a year ago as a freshman
* Sophomore Mark Friedman has 10 points in the past eight games (three goals, seven assists)
* Tyler Spezia played in his 50th career game
* Bowling Green now has three short-handed goals in the past four games
* BGSU's three short-handed goals this year are tied for the most in the WCHA
* Brandon Hawkins recorded his sixth game-winning goal of his career, tying him with Mark Cooper for most on the team
* The Falcons' eight-game unbeaten streak is tied for the fourth-longest active streak in college hockey
* BGSU is 6-0-2 on the eight-game unbeaten streak
* Bowling Green improved to 7-0-2 this year when scoring first and 6-0-1 when leading after a period
* BGSU improved to 6-0-2 when keeping an opponent from scoring on the power play
* The Falcons are now 7-0-0 this year when scoring at least three goals
* The team's 19 shots are the lowest total for the Falcons this year
Team Stats
BGSU
BSU
Shots
19
15
PPG
0
0
SHG
1
0
Penalties
5
2
Penalty Mins
10
4
Faceoffs Won
27
32
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
1
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
1
+/-
+2
Goals
1
Sh
5
A
0
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
Players Mentioned
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/ Ice HockeyBG Hockey : Kevin Piel w/Dennis Williams
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